- Title: Somali youth share ideas on how to tackle gender based violence
- Date: 29th December 2016
- Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (FILE) (REUTERS) STREET SCENES VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN MARKET
- Embargoed: 13th January 2017 11:11
- Keywords: Human Rights Violence Rape Women Gender Based Violence
- Location: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
- City: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
- Country: Somalia
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0025EXPHZP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Young people in Mogadishu will work with the government to fight sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) which is still rampant in Somalia.
At a symposium held on Monday (December, 26), speakers urged the youth to push government agencies to effectively tackle gender and sexual violence.
Ifrah Ahmed, the director of Ifrah Foundation, which campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) said gender based violence could be better addressed when other critical issues affecting the youth in Somalia like radicalization, are tackled.
"This programme is targeting the youth because they are normally targeted for recruitment into terrorism or end up becoming immigrants. It is important that the youth come together to discuss issues affecting them so that they guard against being conscripted into terrorism or becoming immigrants," she said.
Somalia has been without an effective central government since the overthrow of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and is struggling to rebuild amid insecurity challenges.
Lack of rule of law has seen people kill and rape without impunity and practices like female genital mutilation make girls and women's lives unbelievably hard in the country.
The event organized by the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other local partners aims at raising awareness during 16 days of activism, an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls, and also educate the public on the importance of respecting individual freedoms.
"Somalia is considered one of the countries where these abuses are rampant and I hope that there will be an improvement in future. There is need to improve the security and stability of country, if we are to stop these abuses. One of the biggest problems that the country is facing is insecurity but given that the security situation is improving, we hope that the violations will decrease," said Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a participant.
"The conference was about the sexual violence, especially against women and how it can be prevented. It was extremely beneficial but we also realized that a lot of effort is required to eradicate sexual violence. We need to go to the villages and carry out door to door campaigns because it is in the communities where child abuse is rife. Girls are subjected to female genital mutilation and are forced into marriage. This has to be stopped," said Fahmo Ali Hassan, another participant at the event.
In Mogadishu, the campaign wants to train 300 youth from all the 17 districts to raise awareness on human rights. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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